Comforting Ritual
by Klutzygirl33
Summary: Spoilers up to "What Happened to Frederick". After Emma climbed into bed with Mary Margaret to comfort her, it kick started a ritual between the two that lasted into the Fairy Tale World.


**Disclaimer**: I don't own once Upon A Time and never will. No copyright infringement intended.

**Author's Note**: I thought Emma joining Mary Margaret on the bed to comfort her was adorable, and then I got an idea of it happening repeatedly whenever they needed the comfort. Enjoy!

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><p>Emma Swan comforting Mary Margaret Blanchard by climbing into bed with her friend and roommate ended up starting a tradition between the two – Whenever one of them was upset or hurt, they'd slide into bed with the other to help them feel better. It wasn't awkward or anything like that. It was nice and a means of comfort that actually helped enormously. Emma had just wanted Mary to feel better about the David situation, and had no idea that it would lead to what it did. Neither one of them minded, however.<p>

The second time it happened was when Emma came down with pneumonia and briefly ended up in the hospital. When she returned, feeling needy, Mary took care of her and laid down on the bed next to her to calm the sheriff down and help her feel better. "I hate this. I don't want to feel like shit anymore." She was aware she was whining, but honestly didn't care.

Mary snorted. "None of us do. At least you have the antibiotics and they should start working fairly soon."

"Whatever you say." Emma yawned and then started to cough. She covered her mouth and wished she hadn't been in denial about her illness for so long.

"Henry told me to tell you that he wants to visit you, so feel better soon." Both of them had agreed that it'd be better for the ten year to stay away until her health improved so he didn't get sick.

"Oh, I hope that works." Emma yawned again and closed her eyes, suddenly exhausted. She fell asleep within minutes, Mary joining her a few minutes later.

No one was surprised when Mary ended up getting sick herself just days later after running herself ragged taking care of Emma.

The bed sharing occurred for a third time just a few months later after David ended up in the hospital. He had crossed paths with Regina, and it hadn't ended well. Mary had freaked out and Emma had had to calm her hysterical friend down. "He could have died! And I wouldn't have been able to tell him that I forgive him and I understand why he did what he did."

"Mare, he knows. Don't panic because he's going to be okay." Emma smiled at her and then went in for a hug. They stayed that way for several minutes. Emma rushed her over to the bed, and then sat down next to her until she fell asleep. Despite her best intentions, she fell asleep herself.

When the curse was revealed and Snow White's memory returned, she panicked – She couldn't help that, since it was a leftover Mary Margaret trait. She retreated into her bed and refused to come out, so Emma sat down next to her and refused to go until Snow came out.

"I know you're freaking out, Mare – Hell, I'm freaking out. But you can't just hide under the covers and think that this'll just go away. It's not going to. Now will you please come out of there?" Emma was still in shock from the reveal that the Fairy Tale World – and thus the curse – was real, and she couldn't take her roommate and friend freaking out, too.

Snow pushed the covers down. "You want to just stay here with me and watch TV?" She needed the distraction before she could face James.

Emma shrugged. "Sure. Let's wind some mindless bullshit and have some fun." She tried not to laugh at Mary (Snow White, damn it, and that was just weird), who was clearly trying not to smile and failing at the task. She eventually gave in and giggled.

Emma and Snow watched TV for the rest of the night before falling asleep in their very uncomfortable positions. They dealt with the issue at hand as soon as they woke up the next morning. Snow was fully back in control and took charge of the situation, Mary Margaret's personality almost completely gone.

Emma balked at the changes at first, but then she started to like them. Yes, her roommate (Mother, and fuck, how weird was that?) was different now, but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

This method of comfort came in handy once again in the Fairy Tale World after Emma and James were involved in a carriage accident that left both badly injured and hypothermic. Snow crawled into her daughter's bed and tried to keep her warm. It was a little hard with her stomach, but she managed it. Emma let out a gasp when the baby kicked her hard, but otherwise settled down.

"You're fine, Em. Just go to sleep – Momma's here and you're going to be perfectly healthy in no time." She was really worried about her husband and daughter, but she was trying to keep her stress levels down because of the pregnancy. Snow was glad that everything had turned out alright, and that James and Emma hadn't been injured worse. The fact that they could have died out there was going to haunt her nightmares for the next few months.

When James opened the door, she was secretly thrilled. "Shhh, don't wake her. How are you feeling?" Snow whispered.

"Better, especially now that she's safe. How is she?"

"Broken ankle, concussion, blood loss, and multiple bruises. And hypothermia – Which you also have. But you'll both be fine." Snow urged him over, and James rushed as fast as he could to their sides.

"I panicked out there, Snow. It was terrifying to see Emma so hurt and vulnerable." He never wanted to see her like that again.

"But you kept her safe until help arrived, and that is all that matters. It could have ended badly out there, but it didn't." Snow couldn't stop watching Emma – She was asleep and peaceful.

Emma stirred at her parents' conversation. "Going on?"

"Your dad and I are just talking. Go back to sleep, Baby. We're not going anywhere." Snow tucked her hair behind her hairs and beamed.

"'Mmm'kay." Emma closed her eyes and fell back asleep. She was exhausted and would sleep for a while longer.

"You know she called me "Daddy" out there? It was what I've been wanting to hear, but not in that context."

"Oh, James. This is bothering you more than I thought, isn't it?" Snow felt sad for her husband.

He nodded. "But it'll be fine. I think that after today, everything will be good."

"You want to come over here and go back to bed?"

James looked at the bed and the space left. "I don't think there's enough room for all through of us. Plus, we're all grown adults. It'd be really creepy and awkward." He'd let Snow comfort Emma tonight.

Snow weighed his words and then decided he was right. "Go back to our bed and sleep, please? You need it. I'm sure both of you will feel much better tomorrow."

He agreed with that and headed back to their bedroom, but not before kissing Snow first.

The Charmings (as Henry so affectionately referred to them) had been through a lot. They would recover, though.

Emma and Mary's comforting bedtime cuddles slowed down after that, but they never hesitated when something was wrong. It was their own little thing that Emma had started, and it was nice. James thought it was sweet, and Henry didn't care much.

When Emma ran into Graham in the forest – Something she honestly hadn't been expecting, despite finding Kathryn alive and wandering around, the former sheriff turned princess had a meltdown.

"I don't know why I'm so upset. He doesn't remember me, but he's still the same and fuck, Mom. I don't know what to do." Emma turned panicked eyes towards her mother.

Snow sympathized with her daughter. She laid down on the bed next to her daughter and brushed the hair out of Emma's face. "The remembering problem can be taken care of – True love's kiss, remember? It worked for you both in the sheriff's station. And it helped Kathryn once the curse was broken and Frederick was returned to her."

"That bitch Regina killed Graham because of that." Emma was aware she was being petulant, but honestly didn't care.

"And she's dead now. She can't hurt anyone anymore, so stop worrying. Go after him and kiss the hell out of Graham. It'll all work out in the end."

She weighed her options and then sighed. "Fine. I'll go out and look for him tomorrow. But if this doesn't work, I'm blaming you."

"I'll gladly take the blame then." Snow kissed her daughter on the forehead and then left.

She was thanked rather profusely three days after that because true love's kiss had worked its magic once again for Emma and Graham.

Emma and Snow's bond had strengthened that first time in Storybrooke when Mary Margaret had needed friendship after the disaster with David. The sheriff could have done anything, and she chose to slip in bed and just be there. And that was all that had mattered to Mary Margaret at the time.

Nothing would be able to ruin the mother-daughter relationship between Emma and Snow White.


End file.
